After being out and about for the day, I returned to my abode after
dark, and after a right turn in to the driveway/parking spot I shut down
the engine in my 88 GL and sat there a minute or two getting something's
together before exiting the drivers side. Upon opening the door, I was
assaulted by really strong gasoline fumes. Couldn't imagine where that
was coming from....certainly not my van.....LOL!!! I went around in back
of the vehicle, and there in the glow of the streetlight was a dark
streak.......comeing straight down the street and turning right into my
drive. I got down and looked, and lo! there was a puddle of some sort on
the ground ....18 inches across and rather wet looking .....directly
under the cylinders on the right side of the engine. I reached out and
touched it, smelled it. GAS!! Puzzled, I got a flash light and looked up
underneath, and as I was watching, a drop of fuel fell from the edge of
the push rod shield. I reached up behind the edge and it was wet with
fuel. Couldn't do much in the dark, so will wait for morning to check it
out.

This was a scary event for me. There is no telling how many vanagons and
other vw rear engined vehicles have burned up from a fuel leak. This is
especially upsetting since I replaced all hoses in the engine
compartment a year ago during an engine change with a kit from Ken
Wilford. Not to reflect badly on the kit, I just thought I had it
covered.

Well, anyway, if anyone has any input on this I would be grateful to
hear it.

 Seems like lately I'm having a rash of failures or one sort or another.
Master cylinder decided to leak, power steering rack has decided to
leak, got a light out over the tach, the right hand sunshade decided to
break a screw and fall from its place, the left headlight support
broke.......and I'm not about to ask "What Next?"

Anyhow, I will post to the List on my findings regarding the fuel leak.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver